Steering mechanism



Feb. 4', l 930.

C. B. KING ET AL STEERING MEGVHANI SM Filed NOV. 25. 1922 juve/wicks BENJM//V JCBY atented Feb. 4, 1930 CHARLES B. AKING AND 'BENJAMIN JACOBY, or MARION, OHIO, AssIGNoRs To THE MARION STEAM SHOVEL Co., OF MARION, oII1oA CORIORATION OF OHIO STEERING MECHAN ISM Application filed November 25, 1G22. Serial No. 603,328.

This invention relates to steering vmechanisms and more particularly to means for' steering excavating mechanisms and other vself-propelled devices having a revolving 5 platform or the like. A

One object of the invention is to provide means controlled by the revolving platform and operating through the driving mechanism to so regulate the application of power I to the traction devices as to cause the machine to be steered.

Afurther Object of the invention is to provide such a mechanism in which the traction devices will be connected with the driving mechanism by separately operable clutches, and which will have means controlled by the revolving4 platformto operate said clutches selectively. y

A 'further object of the invention is to provide a steering mechanism of this kind which can be operated either by hand or by the revolving platform.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the device is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. v1 is a side elevation of a portion of an excavating mechanism. showing our invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the lower portion of such va mechanism, partly broken away; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the clutch and clutch actuating device; and Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the clutch actuating mechanism. In these. drawings we embodiment of our invention and have shown the same as appliedto a steam shovel of theu revolving type which is equipped with crawling traction'mechani'sm. It will be understood,'however, that the invention may be applied to .excavating devices of' various kinds, or to other devices, embodying a revolvingv-structure and that may be used in connection with traction devices of various kinds. .f

In the-particular construction here shown the excavating mechanism comprises a Abase Vor main frame'lv supported -at its opposite'lv sides by traction'devices 2.which, in the present inst-ance, are in the form of endless belts i constituting vwhat are 'known vas-'Fcrawling have 4illustrated one' traction mechanisms. Mounted upon the-- base 1 is a revolving` platform 3 which, in the present machine, carries the excavating mechanism and the power plantI and which is mounted on the base and rotated thereon in a Well known manner.- The traction dewhich the drums 4 are rotatably mounted.v

Upon the inner ends of the supplemental frames 7 are mounted brackets 8 carryingv rollers 9 which bear upon the upper surface of the'lower stretch of the endless belt or track. The inner ends of the supplemental frames 7 also carry other rollers 10 which support the upper stretch ofthe endless belt. It will bel understood thatthis particular type of traction mechanism has been shown for the purpose of illustration only and that the invention may be applied to vany crawling mechanism.

The rear axle 6 constitutes a driving shaft -for the traction devices and to this end it has provided on the inner' side of` the supplemental frame 7 with la sprocket-wheel 11 which is connected by a sprocket chain l2 with a lsprocket wheel 13 mounted on the i shaft 14 which carries the drum 4 at the driving end of the 'crawling' traction belt. It -will be understood that each` traction mechanism is indepenldabl driven from .the axle 6 through'sprocket' w eels and chains'such as described. Itiscustomary7 to steer a crawling traction rneclfianismf by varying. the vrelative speed of the two traction devices, this usually being accomplished by stopping one 'traction device while the other continues its movement. To Venable this to be done *we` l have connected. th l' two'l traction devices with thedriving mech'. ism by clutches which can loo out of engagement with the' clutch member' the sprocket wheel 13 will run free on the .shaft vand no movement will be imparted to the traction mechanism. Any suitable means may be provided for actuating' the clutch member but, as'here shown, the inner end of 4each shaft 14 is supported in an arm 17 which extends rearwardly'from the axle 6 and we have mounted 4on this a rm a clutch shifting A2,)"lever one ndf whicli'is in the formofa 1 yoke 18 having pins 19 extendinginto a circumferential groove inthe clutch member 16. The clutch membeid may be held normally in its operative position, that is, in interlocking engagement with the clutch member 15, in any suitable manner but we have in the resent construction shown the clutch shift-ing lever as having a portion 21,-'extending on' that side of its axis opposite the yoke 18, whichy is acted upon' by a' spring to`hold the clutch member normally inits operative position. As here lshown a rod 22 is pivotally connected with the portion 21 of the lever, as shown at 23, and extends through the arm '17 and is yprovided at its free end Witha stop 24 which, in the present instance, consists of a washer which is held in adjusted 'positions `by a nut 25. Coiled about therod 22 and confined between the arm 17 and the stop 24 is a spring 26 which so acts upon the kclutch actuating lever as to move the clutch member into `its operative position. The clutch operating -lever may be shifted in various ways'but as here shown we have rigidly connected' there- -with'an arm 27 the movement of which will move the yoke and thus shift the clutch mem- The clutch may be looked in itsinopera- 'tive position inv any suitable manner, asfjby provlding thenclutchoperating lever with a lateral extending arm A28 which'll'efu-an opening 29 adapted to register With/n opening g30 in a lug 31 carried bythe arm 17. The open: ings, 29 and 30, are soarranged that'they will` register one' with the other When the clutch member is `in itsinoperativeposition and they may be retainedin thijs` position inserting a pin 'through the openings.

desireda secondopening-may-be provided in c5 the same `withdisconnecting-thefsame consequent-ly when the clutch member 16 is yj-ment is imparted Ato the platform.

the lug 31 to. register with I,thejopenin'g 29I when the "clutch -is in its operative positionf from the driving mechanism as has been -above described. I njorder that either con-V necting means may be rendered inoperative independent of the other, and from asingle I'point vconveniently arranged for operatlon,

we have mounted upon the base 1 an operating handle 32 which, in the present instance, is mounted for movement about a vertical axis and is so connected, with the two actu-- ating arms 27 that when moved in-one direc tion it will move the clutch member ofvone device into its inoperative position Without affecting the clutch member of the other connecting device, and when moved in the opposite direction will move the last mentioned clutch member into its inoperative positionj without aiecting the osition rof the first" mentioned clutch mem er. In the resent construction the connection between t 'e handle 32 a-nd the clutch shifting lever 27 is of a Aflexible' character and .may consistcfazable, 4Tas 'sho'wn at 33, this cable beingrigidly colinected at its ends with the respective levers 1' 27 and rigidly connected between its ends with Y the. handle `32,`-thisA latter connection, Iin the present instance, being accomplished. by, a clamping device or clip 34. This handle 32 may be manually operated to shift either clutch but we prefer to utilize power for shifting the clutches and to'- this end We have 'provided means forconne'cting the revolving structure or platform 3 Iwiththe handle 3 2`in such a manner thatthe revolving movement off` thatlplatform will control lthe clutches. This connection may take various, forms but as'hereshown" it is inthe form of an arm 35mounted onthe platform 3'and having a bifurcated end, as'shown aty 36, adapted to lbe moved into and out of operavtive relationwith the handle 32. In the present instance the arm 35 is pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis and 'when the revolving platforrnis in its normal orA central position the arm 35 will move downward-` ly and embrace the handle 32, thus establishving a connection which willcause the handle to be operated whenever the' revolvin moveuring thiennrmal operation of the mechanism, that "igwlen it is not desired to utilizevtherevolvs; ing movement of ithe platform :ferr stet'i purposes the arm 35 is held inv an inoperative position, las byimeans of a spring `lcatch 37. The operation rof the mechanismwilLbe readily understoodjfrom the foregoin, j-.deI 120 scription thereof and it will vbe apparentthat we have provided a very simp le but1highly` 'efficient mechanism whereby-the revolving movement of the. platform or cab of a power `tions between,the'traction'devices-and the driving II'neclianisirrand thus steer 'j'.liefrne'ch-A anism when the 'latter' is traveling-'under its own'jpovver.I h 'A While-we have 'shown and described. one 41 50 shovel may be utilized to' control the connecf 125' embodiment of our invention we wish it to be understood that we do not desire to be limited to the-details thereof as various modiications may occur to one skilled in the art.

Having now fully described our invention what we claim as new and desire .to secure by Letters Patent, is: A v f l 1. In a mechanism of the character havn ing a driving mechanism described including driving mechanism, a frame, a structure revolubly mounted on said frame, traction devices arranged at the respective sides of said frame, separately operable means :for Y connecting the respective traction devices with said driving mechanism, an operating device adaptedl to be manually operated connected lwith one of said connecting means by a flexible member, and a part carried by said revoluble structure and movable into and out of operative relation to said operating device to disconnect a selected traction device from the driving mechanism.V

2. In a mechanism o the character described including driving mechanism, a-

. frame, a structure rotatably mounted on said frame, a traction device arranged on each side of the frame, clutch means for connecting each traction device to the driving mechanism, a lever for each clutch pivotally mounted on the frame' and to the clutch for operating the clutches, a exible connection between the levers, means connected to the frame and v to the flexible connection to shift the clutches1 and means attached to the rotatably mounted structure and adapted to engage the lastnamed means to shift the 4clutches by the rotation of the rotatably mounted structure.

3. In a mechanism of the character described including e driving mechanism, a frame, a structure rotatably mounted on said frame, a traction device arranged on each -side of .the frame, clutch means for connecting each traction device to the driving -mechanism, a lever for each clutch pivotally mounted on the frame andto the clutch for operating the clutch, a. exible connection 'ber tween the levers, means connected tol the frame and to the exible connection adapted to be manually operated to shift the clutches,

50 and means attached to the rotatably mounted structure and adapted to engage the lastnamed means to shift the clutches by rotation of the rotatably mounted structure.

In testimony whereof, we aix our signa- 55 tures hereto.'

.CHARLES B. KING. BENJAMIN JACOBY. 

